Improvement in folding tables



W. E. ALLEN.

FOLDING-TABLE,

No.171,909. Patented 12.11.11,1876.

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N.PETERS, FMOTO LTHOGRAPHEH, WASHXNGTDN, Dv C.

UNITED STATE-s PATENT EEICE.

WESTON E. ALLEN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING TABLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 71,909, dated January11, 1876; application filed October 20, 1874.

To all whom it may concern sBe it known that I, WESTON E. ALLEN, ofRochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables; and I doV herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making partof this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection of my improved table, the folded position of the legs and theirspring locking-bar being shown in full lines, and their open position indotted lines. Fig. 2 is a transverse or end sectional View, showing themanner of hinging the legs to the cross-bar O.

The object of my invention is to simplify the construction of this classof folding tables, by means of which simplification they may be mademuch cheaper, lighter, and at the same time lirmer than asheretoforemade. It=con sists, mainly, in providing va locking-bar tohold the legs in either their open or folded adjustment, that shall alsoconstitute its own spring.

The cross-bar C at each end of the table or bed B is cut a suitablelength to justiit between the two legs D at their respective ends of thetable. The legs are hinged to these bars by means of suitable dowels a,as shown in Fig. 2. The two legs D at eachend are framed together by thecross-girt E, by which they are firmly held in their proper relativeposition. The bar O is rigidly fixed tothe table-bed B. The sp1-in glocking-bar Gis made as shown in Fig. l, being provided with the notch nat its vibrating end. When the secondary or auxiliary spring J is usedit is designed to strengthen the primary bar G, and render itsufficiently stiii' and firm without being too rigid and inliexible.They are both rigidly fixed to the bed B by a screw or otherwlse.

It will be seen that these. spring lockingbars bear constantly upon thegirts E, and hold the legs irmly, Whether in their open or foldedposition. The cross-bars C should be oi'set laterally at the oppositeends toward opposite sides of the table, so as to permit the legs tofold down between or beside .each other:

. The table is unfolded and adjusted for use by simply swinging the legsto a vertical position, where they are caught and held by the notches nofthe spring locking-bar G catching upon the edge of the girt E. Thelegs are folded by nnhooking the locking-bar G from the girt E, whenthey are permitted to fold.

It is desirable that the hole in the posts to receive the hinge or dowela should not be made entirely through, as indicated in Fig. 2.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In combination with the foldinglegsD and table B, the wooden springlockiug-latch, composed of the taperingprimary spring-bar G and tapering secondary or auxiliary springbar J,they being attached together with Athe thick end of the latter to thethin end of the former, and fixed to the table-bed, as shown,

' all for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a folding table, of separate legs resting onpivots or dowels formed on the ends of the bolster, the crosspiece whichframes the legs together in pairs, and the notched spring engaging withthe said cross-piece to hold the legs upright, as shown and described.

WESTON E. ALLEN.

Witnesses: 1

WM. S. LOUGHBOROUGH, J. S. GAELOGK.

